Seat assembly for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A seat assembly of a vehicle includes a folding seat furnished on a side of a main seat that is mounted on a floor panel. A pair of guide rails are furnished on top of the floor panel so as to allow sliding thereon, a main frame is fixed on top of the guide rails, and a first seat is mounted on one side of the top of the main frame such that a first seat cushion may rotate thereon. Also, a second seat, whose second seat cushion is mounted on top of the main frame in a folding fashion, is provided so that the seat cushion may be folded to be substantially parallel with the first seat.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of Korean Application No.10-2003-0080420, files Nov. 14, 2003, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a seat assembly for vehicles. Morespecifically, the seat assembly includes a folding type seat furnishedon a side portion of a main seat that is mounted on a floor panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of seat arrangements are furnished for vehicles to improve onpassenger comfort. An example of such is disclosed in the Korea UtilityModel Gazette No. 96-21413 (dated Jul. 18, 1996) which concerns afolding jump seat system. A jump seat in this case refers to a foldingtype auxiliary seat furnished in the passage compartment betweenpassenger seats. If a passenger changes seats within the vehicle thejump seat is often folded to secure a passage.

Such existing seat assemblies include a rail part that is furnished on afloor panel of a vehicle so as to allow sliding. A main seat cushion isfurnished at the top of the rail part so as to allow rotation. A jumpseat is connected to one side of the seat cushion with a folding member.A cushion frame is furnished within the seat cushion and the cushionframe and rail part are furnished with a rotation part so that the seatcushion may rotate. The seat cushion is also furnished with a seatlumbar support that can be folded.

In addition, the jump seat itself includes a seat cushion and a lumbarsupport (seat back) that fold together. A folding member is furnished atthe bottom of the jump seat cushion so that it is fixed at and supportedby a cushion frame of the seat cushion of a main seat. A tray or tableis furnished on the back of the seat lumbar support of the jump seat sothat objects may be placed on it when the seat lumbar support is in afolded position.

However, such an existing seat assembly causes the problem of not beingable to use the jump seat when the main seat is rotated. Specifically,if the main seat cushion is rotated, the jump seat rotates with it.Since the jump seat must be manipulated in a folded state, it results inthe inconvenience of not being able to use the jump seat as a table atthis time. In addition, with the jump seat mounted on one side of themain seat cushion, the seat assembly is mounted on the floor panel in aneccentric position, thus the width of the rail part is narrower comparedwith the size of the seat assembly so as to be unstable. Moreover, thejump seat causes noise generation during operation. Furthermore, torotate the seat cushion of the main seat, the jump seat must be foldedand a car door near the main seat opened. As a result, it isinconvenient to rotate the seat cushion of the main seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an embodiment of the present invention a seat assembly forvehicles is provided wherein a foldable jump seat is furnished on a sideof a rotating main seat mounted on a floor panel. Such a seat assemblyis accomplished with a pair of guide rails that are furnished on top ofa floor panel so as to allow sliding. A main frame is fixed on top ofthe guide rails and a rotating main seat is mounted on one side of thetop of the main frame so that the first seat cushion may rotate. Asecond seat includes a second seat cushion mounted on top of the mainframe in a folding fashion such that it is parallel with the first seat.

It is preferable that, regardless of the rotated position of a firstseat, the second seat is located at the identical direction with respectto a first seat. It is also preferable that, regardless of the rotatedposition of the first seat, the second seat may be folded and unfoldedso that it may be used as a table.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For better understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a seat assembly for vehicles according to anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a seat arrangement of a vehicle in which a seatassembly is mounted according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, a seat assembly for vehicles includes a pairof guide rails 110 furnished on a floor panel so as to allow sliding. Amain frame 120 is fixed on top of the guide rails 110 and a first seat130 is mounted on one side of the top of the main frame 120 so that afirst seat cushion 131 may rotate. A jump seat or second seat 140 isprovided with a seat cushion 141 mounted on top of the main frame 120 ina folding fashion such that it can be positioned parallel with the firstseat 130.

A rail structure is additionally installed on a car body floor panel sothat the guide rails 110 may slide thereon. On top of the main frame 120are furnished a revolving member 121 and a folding member 122. Therevolving member 121 and folding member 122 are combined with the firstseat cushion 131 and the jump seat cushion 141, respectively. Arevolving member 121 allows the first seat 130 to revolve in the frontor rear direction of the vehicle on top of the main frame 120. A foldingmember 122 allows the jump seat 140 to be raised and folded.

The first seat 130 preferably includes a first seat cushion 131 and afirst lumbar support part 132. An angle of the lumbar support part 132may be adjusted with respect to the first seat cushion 131. The jumpseat 140 includes a seat cushion 141 and a lumbar support part 142 whoseangle may be adjusted with respect to the seat cushion 141.

According to the seat assembly for vehicles of the present invention,guide rails 110 are fixed at a bottom of a main frame 120 to manipulatethe seat in front and rear directions. Thus, the width between guiderails may be established to be wider in comparison to the prior artdesigns. Also, the center of gravity of the combined seats is locatedhorizontally between the guide rails, preferably as close as possible toa center point between the rails. Thus, due to the wider guide railstance and center of gravity position, seat rigidity and reduction ofnoise generation can be promoted.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first seat 130 and the jump seat 140are mounted on the main frame 120 independently from each other.Therefore, the first seat 130 alone may be rotated with the location ofthe jump seat 140 being fixed. As a result, the lumbar support of thejump seat 140 alone may be folded and used as a table.

In addition, since rotation of the first seat 130 may be manipulatedwithout a car door being opened, it is convenient to use. The seatassembly for vehicles improves rigidity of the seat assembly because arevolving first seat and a folding second seat are mounted so as toallow independent manipulation on the main frame so as to allow slidingin front and rear directions. The present invention enables various seatarrangements and effectively increases convenience for use.

1. A seat assembly for vehicles, comprising: a pair of guide railsconfigured for placement on top of a floor panel so as to allow sliding;a main frame fixed on top of the guide rails; a first seat mounted onone side of a top of the main frame so that a first seat cushion mayrotate; and a second seat whose second seat cushion is mounted on top ofthe main frame in a folding fashion so as to make it substantiallyparallel with the first seat.
 2. The seat assembly recited in claim 1,wherein regardless of a rotational location of the first seat, thesecond seat is located at an identical direction with respect to thefirst seat.
 3. The seat assembly recited in claim 2, wherein regardlessof a rotational location of the first seat, the second seat may befolded and unfolded so that it may be used as a table.
 4. The seatassembly recited in claim 1, wherein said assembly has a center ofgravity positioned between said rails.
 5. A seat assembly for a vehicle,comprising: at least two guide rails; a main cross frame rail slidablycoupled with said at least two guide rails, where said main cross framerail crosses said at least two guide rails substantially perpendicularlyand slides on said at least two guide rails; a revolving member movablycoupled with said main cross frame rail; a first seat coupled with saidrevolving member such that said first seat can revolve in a front orrear direction of a vehicle on top of said main cross frame rail; afolding member foldably coupled with said main cross frame rail; and asecond seat coupled with said folding member such that said second seatcan be raised and folded with respect to said main cross frame rail. 6.The seat assembly as in claim 5, wherein said assembly has a center ofgravity positioned between said guide rails.